For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ---Ephesians 6:12

"The age of casual Catholicism is over; the age of heroic Catholicism has begun. We can no longer be Catholics by accident, but instead must be Catholics by CONVICTION." ---Fr. Terrence Henry TOR, Franciscan University of Steubenville

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Got an iPhone? I do. Having trouble with it in the past year with interrupted service and dropped calls? Me too. Seems lots have been complaining. Is it any better at Verizon? Read part of the article below and follow the link for the rest of it.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Consumer outrage about AT&T's 3G service for iPhones is boiling over, but the dropped calls and spotty service reflect a greater lack of foresight in the wireless industry.

Analysts say AT&T's problems would have happened on any network that carried Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) iPhone because of the overwhelming amount of data downloaded by iPhone users. Over the past three years, AT&T's data traffic increased 5,000% because of the iPhone.

"The challenges that AT&T has are being faced by a lot of operators around the world: Very rapidly growing usage coupled with dense populations," said Daniel Hays, wireless expert and partner at consultancy PRTM. "Would it have been different on Verizon? Probably not."

AT&T accurately states that it has the nation's fastest 3G network but it "probably bit off more than it could chew," said Doug Helmreich, program director at consultancy CFI Group. "Now some of their customers are paying the price."

Friday, December 25, 2009

Although I do not usually gravitate toward paintings of Jesus with blonde hair and blue eyes, there is something about La Vierge Au Lys by William Bouguereau that draws me in and captivates my imagination.

Bouguereau's depiction of Mary holding Jesus (Pieta) after being lowered from the cross (same Mary, same outfit, only looking older) inspired Mel Gibson to search for an actress with the same intense look to play Mary in The Passion.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to all!

Below is an excerpt from AChristmas Sermon by St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.):

“Awake, mankind! For your sake God has become man. Awake, you who sleep, rise up from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you. I tell you again: for your sake, God became man.

You would have suffered eternal death, had he not been born in time. Never would you have been freed from sinful flesh, had he not taken on himself the likeness of sinful flesh. You would have suffered everlasting unhappiness, had it not been for this mercy. You would never have returned to life, had he not shared your death. You would have been lost if he had not hastened ‘to your aid. You would have perished, had he not come.

Let us then joyfully celebrate the coming of our salvation and redemption. Let us celebrate the festive day on which he who is the great and eternal day came from the great and endless day of eternity into our own short day of time.

He has become our justice, our sanctification, our redemption, so that, as it is written: Let him who glories glory in the Lord.

Truth, then, has arisen from the earth: Christ who said, I am the Truth, was born of the Virgin. And justice looked down from heaven: because believing in this new-born child, man is justified not by himself but by God.

Truth has arisen from the earth: because the Word was made flesh. And justice looked down from heaven: because every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.

Truth has arisen from the earth: flesh from Mary. And justice looked down from heaven: for man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

Justified by faith, let us be at peace with God: for justice and peace have embraced one another. Through our Lord Jesus Christ: for Truth has arisen from the earth. Through whom we have access to that grace in which we stand, and our boast is in our hope of God’s glory. He does not say: “of our glory”, but of God’s glory: for justice has not come out of us but has looked down from heaven. Therefore he who glories, let him glory, not in himself, but in the Lord.

For this reason, when our Lord was born of the Virgin, the message of the angelic voices was: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to men of good will.

For how could there be peace on earth unless Truth has arisen from the earth, that is, unless Christ were born of our flesh? And he is our peace who made the two into one: that we might be men of good will, sweetly linked by the bond of unity.

Let us then rejoice in this grace, so that our glorying may bear witness to our good conscience by which we glory, not in ourselves, but in the Lord. That is why Scripture says: He is my glory, the one who lifts up my head. For what greater grace could God have made to dawn on us than to make his only Son become the son of man, so that a son of man might in his turn become son of God?

Ask if this were merited; ask for its reason, for its justification, and see whether you will find any other answer but sheer grace."

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) has betrayed the unborn as well as 61% of our nation (61% are against this bill) by becoming the magical 60th vote in favor of Obamacare, after previously claiming he would vote against it. It is clear that Democrats are easily bought and paid for by TARP funds, as Nelson joins the ranks of others like Landrieu.

Read the details HERE. I wish I had time to go into all the gruesome details... but I have a snow storm to drive through.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Catholic Vote Action has released this ad today in the state of Pennsylvania to pressure our so-called, pro-life Democrat Senator, Bob Casey, into voting his alleged conscience and not support a health care bill that funds abortion.

Aside from NE Senator Ben Nelson, is there really such a thing as a pro-life Democrat? NV Senator Harry Reid, a Democrat, has always run as a pro-lifer. But by now his constituents must realize that he is not what he claims to be, and NV polls reflect that. Senator Casey, up for re-election in '12 in PA would be wise to follow Reid's re-election bid in '10 closely.

The ad attack against Senator Casey is two-pronged, as can be seen by this other ad presented by the Susan B. Anthony List, showing a then and now comparison between strong pro-life positions taken by Governor Robert Casey Sr. and the potential sell-out-of-the-unborn by his Senator son, Robert Jr..

I discovered both of these ads on Jill Stanek's blog, along with a link to a personal letter by the head of the Susan B. Anthony List to Senator Casey. Go to her blog and find the link for the letter by clicking HERE.

Senator Casey is claiming that faith leaders are supporting his alternative amendment to the latest health care bill fiasco (after the Nelson-Hatch-Casey Amendment failed), and cites the Catholic Health Association as one of its supporters. It should be noted that as of this posting, Sr. Carol Keehan of the CHA has not seen the text of Casey's amendment, but only his outline of it. In spite of this she claims to be confident that his amendment will insure no abortion funding. Not so, says Senator Ben Nelson and other pro-life groups, including the USCCB who said the language will not stop funding for abortions. Read the full story by clicking HERE.

Now it looks like Senator Reid is shifting his focus toward pressuring ME Senator Olympia Snowe. Read that HERE.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Lila Rose has created some very indicting undercover videos of various Planned Parenthood locations around the country showing several statutory rape cover-ups by complicit PP staff members. Now, starting with Planned Parenthood of Appleton, WI, Lila Rose has put together the Rosa Acuna Project, which documents Planned Parenthood's manipulative counseling and medical lies told in order to convince women in need that killing their unborn babies is their best option. See below:

Appleton, December 9 -- New undercover footage from an Appleton, WI Planned Parenthood abortion clinic shows clinic staff, including the abortion doctor, lying to two young women about fetal development and encouraging the one who is pregnant to obtain an abortion because "women die having babies."

In the undercover video, when the two women ask a Planned Parenthood counselor if the pregnant woman's 10-week-old unborn child has a heartbeat, the counselor emphasizes "heart tones," and answers, "Heart beat is when the fetus is active in the uterus--can survive--which is about seventeen or eighteen weeks." On the contrary, embryologists agree that the heartbeat begins around 3 weeks. Wisconsin informed consent law requires that women receive medically accurate information before undergoing an abortion.

How easily we get caught up in Stressmas and lose track of the real meaning of the Christmas Season we call Advent. Nothing should matter more than the birth of the Christ Child at Christmas. All other traditions and celebrations, however important, are secondary.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Well, it's that time of year again.... The time when I'm so busy with life's trials and tribulations, I don't have time to research anything good to post. So I resort to a linkfest. It's not the only reason, of course. I owe a few people who also happen to be doing some excellent work out there in the blogosphere for the links they have given me. Here are some excellent blogs and the great work they are doing:

Professor Donald Douglas of American Power, located in our nation's former ally, California (I hope that like France, they return to our side someday), is a beacon of freedom there. Click HERE for the first installment of his field work at a local Tea Party resulting in a wonderful collection of pictures of the event. Click HERE for the second installment. The professor's blog has become a major driving force for freedom after its creation less than 2 years ago.

When something happens in New York City that is worth viewing, look no further than Urban Infidel for her magnificent photo essays. Yesterday she bore the nasty weather to report first-hand the protest in Foley Square of the Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 9-11 Terror Trial that any other president, in his right mind, would conduct as a military tribunal at Gitmo. Click HERE for her posting of the events.

Chicago Ray has found yet another example of a fractional minority of Muslims having a Christmas tree (dubbed Holiday Tree) removed because it was deemed "too religious" for these narrow-minded sociopaths. Click HERE for the story.

T. Paine at Saving Common Sense brings to light the quest of Lt. Col. Allen West for a Congressional seat in Florida's 22nd district. Lt. Col. West is an African-American, decorated war hero and champions the Constitution. In other words he is what Mr. Paine refers to as "a breath of fresh air." Click HERE for the full story.

And Lisa Graas has written a book review on Sarah Palin's Going Rogue, well worth reading. Click HERE for that.

PS. I just had to include a recent posting by R.S. McCain (The Other McCain) in which he calls Episcopalian the "gay religion," and that it has "more lesbians than the LPGA and more gay men than the first five rows of a Bette Midler concert." Click HERE for his post to find out why.

Matt K Cassens

(not my photo)

Click on picture above for information about the author.

Also, I want to add that not everyone I link to below marches lock-step with me on every issue. But I link to them nonetheless because I think they are righteous. They have taken sides in their respective battles, political and/or religious, and have chosen wisely. May you do the same.

Followers

The middle east media research institute

Stop Islamization of america

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